Visions Softly Creeping
by Gwydion
Summary: He was a knight. It was not his job to feel. The day for grieving would come, but for now this one night, one day of mourning was the only reprieve he would allow himself. Because it was his duty, and he would keep the princess waiting no longer on account of his weakness. (Spoilers for main story points including the end of BotW.)
1. Words Like Silent Raindrops

Disclaimer: I do not own The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Spoilers for main story points including the end of the game. All titles are lyrics borrowed from Simon and Garfunkel's "The Sound of Silence."

 **Chapter 1: Words Like Silent Raindrops**

"Hello, Link."

His breath caught in his throat at the gentle, familiar voice, and his heart began to race as his eyes slowly swept around the room, looking for its owner. _Mipha._ Maybe Mipha was still...

"Because of your courage, my spirit is now free."

The excitement and optimism that he'd allowed to course through him since he had reached Zora's Domain had propelled him this far, but at the princess' words, his feet seemed as if turned to lead, and a cold pit quietly opened inside of him, sucking his hopes down into its depths. Almost as mechanically as the Divine Beast in which he now stood, he turned to face an ethereal, blue light glowing several feet away. And in the midst of it, as if manifesting from the air itself, was Mipha.

Her grateful yet sad smile would have been more than enough to confirm his dread, but still Link found himself unable to tear his gaze away from her translucent body as her feet gracefully tread upon the surface of the water, her use of the word "spirit" to describe herself echoing throughout the emptiness inside of him. It wasn't as if he could not have predicted this outcome. King Rhoam himself had told him of the other Champions' fate, and the hints had been in Mipha's guidance through the beast all along. But he had foolishly allowed her family's words to lead him to believe otherwise. After all, a Zora could live for hundreds of years; if any Champion were still alive, it would be her.

But as he should have known from the beginning, she was not. She had been dead for a hundred years while he slept and forgot everything. Had his memories stayed buried, perhaps he would not be feeling so hollow as she spoke to him of a healing power that was now useless to her. Perhaps he would be able to see her as a fallen warrior with one last task instead of feeling the stinging loneliness of the loss of a close friend. But as she gifted to him a precious piece of herself, he could feel her warmth and kindness settle inside of him, causing his heart to ache and mourn all the more.

Keeping all traces of his grief hidden, Link returned to King Dorephan to report his daughter's fate only to be met with praise, gratitude, and even elders asking to be pardoned for their earlier harsh treatment of him. The pomp flew by in a blur as the multitude of Zora now crowded into the throne room cheered, and Prince Sidon vigorously shook his hand. Link's mood was slowly lightening, the celebration infectious, until he found himself alone with the king, a beautifully crafted trident resting in his hands.

"It was cherished by Mipha. I would like you to have it."

His grip on the weapon was so tight that his hands began to shake. Quickly putting it away, he steeled his emotions once more and thanked the king for his generous gift, promising to use it to honor Mipha's memory and put an end to Calamity Ganon.

The king's smile mirrored the one his daughter wore only a short time ago, and as the Hylian bowed and turned to leave, King Dorephan's parting words, too, matched that of Mipha.

"Save her, Link. Save Princess Zelda."

The moon hung high in the night sky as Link pushed open the door to his residence in Hateno Village with a long creak. Shuffling one foot in front of the other, he slowly closed the door behind him before depositing his gear on the table until only the Lightscale Trident remained. Tenderly running his fingers along the handle, he stood in the dim light, hazy memories of the beautiful, young Zora replaying in his mind, until he at last closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and carried it to the far wall. Reaching up, he carefully mounted the trident on a weapon display, stepped back, and gave a reverent bow before trudging toward the stairs leading to the loft. His clothes were discarded heartlessly on the way to his bed, and with a tiredness he hadn't felt since first reviving, he flopped onto the soft mattress and buried his face in his pillow.

But as physically and emotionally exhausted as he was, the bliss of sleep fled from him. The events of the day circled over and over in his mind, carrying with them fearful visions of what was likely in store for him during and at the conclusion of his quest.

When he had awoken only a few weeks ago, he had no recollection of what had happened to him, the fate of the kingdom of Hyrule, or even who the mysterious voice that guided him belonged to. But still he had felt an innate sense of duty and honor in carrying out the task put upon him by King Rhoam and who he now knew to be Princess Zelda. Even if he had failed in the past, having no memory of it had assured his confidence in himself remained strong. Perhaps he had not been to blame. Perhaps after one hundred years the opponent had weakened. And so he had taken on the role of Champion with vigor and purpose, ready to do whatever need be done in order to defeat evil and help the princess.

This, however, was before his memories began to return.

Talking with Impa and realizing it might be possible to recover knowledge of at least a bit of his life prior to his hundred year sleep, he had immediately gone in search of the locations in the photos on his Sheikah Slate. It hadn't taken him long before he reached an archway on the road to Mount Lanayru that at last clawed at the cobwebs in the corners of his memory, and suddenly it was as if he were standing right there amongst the other Champions and Zelda herself. Their names were still largely a mystery, but each of their faces and mannerisms felt familiar and not at all like the strangers they currently were to him. It was an unsettling feeling, made all the moreso by the somber mood of the princess and the rise of Calamity Ganon himself in the distance.

But still the memory had affected him little. He could now picture everyone from his past that Impa had talked to him about, but aside from a vague ache in his chest at the thought of Princess Zelda's hopeless gaze and hollow voice, his feelings about his quest had not changed. No, it wasn't until he stumbled upon Zora's Domain and found himself unable to tear his eyes away from the delicately crafted statue of their princess and Champion that his old life began to haunt him. Standing there among a people who recognized him, knew him, in a place he must have visited many times before, it was as if the floodgates were finally creeping open.

 _Mipha._

Her name was Mipha. And she had not only been his ally, but a close friend, someone he had turned to time and time again when he was wounded in battle or just plain reckless. Various memories of their days spent together washed over him, some as clear as if she were at his side with that shy smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

And suddenly everything changed. He was not fighting to avenge a nameless fallen warrior, he was desperately hoping to save a companion. Except there had been nothing to save, not in the sense he had allowed himself to hope for, anyway. And as he lay in bed with visions of the deceased princess dancing along his closed eyelids, a few happy memories but most imagined and grotesque scenarios surrounding her demise, at last his forced mask of strength and calm started to crack.

He was a knight. It was not his job to feel. It was his job to protect the kingdom, the princess, and show no trace of hesitation as he swung his sword. Everyone was depending on him, and for that reason he must always outwardly remain strong, a pillar of confidence and control.

But in the late hours of the night in a dimly lit house that he shared with no one but his thoughts, his eyes began to sting as his breathing hitched, and it wasn't long before violent sobs wracked his body.

It was strange. While a part of him was certainly mourning the loss of Mipha, the sadness he felt went deeper than that. Perhaps he could not remember the other Champions now, but he knew, Link _knew_ that as more of his memory returned, these same feelings and events would be repeated in a vicious cycle until he was whole, the spirits trapped for a hundred years were freed, and Ganon was destroyed. Piece by piece he would regain his old self, and as this happened, the scab hiding the wounded heart he wasn't even aware existed until a few days ago would slowly be picked away, leaving behind a gaping hole, sore and bleeding.

He did mourn for Mipha; the two of them had been close long before she had been named a Champion. But he mourned for himself as well, a warrior who could only continue moving forward as quickly as possible as Princess Zelda's hold on Ganon grew ever weaker. This while having to burden these feelings of loss fresh and anew several more times before he could truly rest and try to mend the blood-stained hole in his heart, a hole in the shape of four courageous individuals.

 _No, not four._

Four would be a hopeful estimate. Four would mean that there was still someone left he had a chance to save. Four would imply that somehow, inexplicably, Princess Zelda, born a Hylian with a lifespan that paled in comparison to the Zora, was still alive after all these years, her voice sounding in his head now exactly as it did in the lone memory of her he had regained so far.

No, it couldn't be only four. After his hopes of returning Mipha to her family were cruelly shattered, he would not allow himself to be so naive again. Princess Zelda's spirit may still be fighting yet, but that was all that was left of her. Just like the other Champions, her body lay dead and rotting in the place she died one hundred years ago. When all was said and done, he would be grieving the loss of not four but _five_ companions.

The morning rays of the sun were peeking through his window before Link's cheeks grew dry, and as his body stilled and his chest stopped heaving, at last the grip of sleep pulled him into its depths. It seemed only mere moments later that he was peeling his eyes open to the sight of the room darkened once again. He had slept the entire day away, and yet his limbs still ached as if he had just crawled into bed. It was so tempting to simply continue to lie there, waiting for morning yet again before continuing his journey.

A long sigh passed his lips. No. He had wasted too much time already. The day for grieving would come, but for now this one night, one day of mourning was the only reprieve he would allow himself. With every new piece of his memory recovered, he would hold it in and squash it down, even if it meant allowing the heartache to fester for weeks on end. Because it was his duty, and he would keep the princess' spirit waiting no longer on account of his weakness.

As he crawled out of his bed and grabbed his clothes, his mind toyed with the idea of ignoring Impa's suggestion of hunting down the locations in the photos. Some memories would still likely return on their own, but perhaps now wasn't the best time to revisit the past. The idea was quickly dismissed, however. As painful as he knew it would be, he refused to free the Champions' spirits and offer up a final goodbye without as much of his former knowledge of who they were as an individual and what they meant to him as possible. Perhaps it would make his journey easier, but it would be cowardly and unfair of him to face them as a stranger.

His mind solemnly made up, he gathered his gear and replaced his knight's mask of stoic confidence. The tightness in his chest refused to be left behind, but he in turn refused to acknowledge it. He had shed all the tears he would allow. There were people waiting for him, counting on him, and he would carry out his duty.

* * *

A/N: Originally planned as a one shot, this has taken on a life of its own and is now likely to be about five chapters. All I can say is that this game really felt alive, and I wanted to give my thoughts during my time as Link a voice. A huge thank you to everyone who put their playthroughs of this game up online; while I had finished the game myself, it was very useful for the times I wanted to check exact dialogue without having to replay the entire thing.

Thanks for reading, and as always, critics and grammar police are appreciated!


	2. Silence Like a Cancer

**Chapter 2: Silence Like a Cancer**

The steady rain that pelted Link as his horse trotted along the hilly terrain chilled him to the bone, a far cry from the burning heat he had endured atop Death Mountain mere days ago. And yet it seemed as if an eternity had passed since he'd fought his way up the massive volcano and freed Daruk's spirit from the clutches of Ganon. The numbness he felt currently, though indeed heightened by the cold rain, had been clinging to him long before the clouds had gathered above.

As with Mipha, upon setting foot in Goron City and gazing at the statue of the fallen Champion, sparse memories of his time with Daruk rose from the fog that obscured his past. Heartbreaking as it was knowing that such a friendly and confident individual had been lost a century ago, Link had refused to allow himself to dwell on the depressing thought, instead burying it alongside his grief of the Zora princess until a more appropriate time. While nothing could truly have softened the blow, after coming face to face with Mipha's spirit, he had mentally steeled himself for the moment a softly glowing Goron appeared before him. It had been agonizing, receiving yet another generous gift before his body was forcefully removed from the Divine Beast, the last smile he would see on Daruk's face fading away. But that was a reality he had prepared himself for. The events that followed, however, were not.

The scorching heat inside the very mouth of the volcano had been suffocating despite his special elixirs and armor, and this made properly navigating Vah Rudania all the more difficult. Not only had it taken a toll on him physically, his throat unquenchably dry and cracked while his skin was so tender that the slightest touch was akin to a jab with a hot poker, but the mental strain was far greater as well. Even a second's lack of focus could have tripped him up and sent him hurling into the molten lava and a most assuredly painful death. His plan had been to continue moving forward as quickly as possible, his constant progress making it easier for him to ignore his bottled up emotional turmoil. But his weak body ill-suited for spending hours in the heart of a volcano had not allowed him to leave Goron City without rest, and thus he had spent a long two days in bed, a restless Yunobo constantly hovering at his side. And while not ungrateful for the care, the last thing he had desired was company.

Link couldn't help but feel overcome with his comparatively frail body's inadequacy. Even in his few memories from a century ago he was being healed by Mipha or protected by Daruk. The confidence he had started this journey out with was waning with each new trial he endured and past event that came to light. Every time he proudly reminded himself of the fact that he had already defeated two hideous monstrosities created from Ganon's own Malice, a sinister echo in the back of his head would grow louder, making sure he was aware that these were merely minions. Barely defeating them only to pass out shortly afterwards was an ominous sign that the outcome against Calamity Ganon himself would be much different.

As soon as he had been sure his legs could carry him, Link was on his feet, using every ounce of his willpower to appear healthy and steadfast in his decision to trek back down the mountain so that Yunobo would allow him to go without a fuss. It had, however, been surprisingly easy to win the young Goron over.

"I believe in you, brother! You're so strong and brave, just like Lord Daruk. And maybe someday I will be too, goro!"

He had politely accepted the compliment, but the words rang hollow as Link slowly made his way toward the base of the volcano. Wishing for nothing more than some solitude, he had avoided the path that would have lead him to the Southern Mine, instead choosing to traverse the rocky terrain to the west of it. The new route had been treacherous, but the air wasn't quite as unbearable, and he didn't have to worry about whether or not the cracks in his stoic mask were showing as there had been no one to notice.

A few hours into his descent, a splash of light pink had caught the corner of his eye. To the southwest of the volcano sat Hyrule Castle, the view of it from the mountain sending shivers down his spine. But farther north lay an island covered in trees and shrouded in mist with only the top of a large, blossoming tree clearly visible in the center. He had stopped, the itch of familiarity causing his heart to race, and as he stood still, mesmerized, he could suddenly picture the entire rocky area immediately surrounding him covered in the blood and bodies of dead monsters. In the center of all of it were two nearly untouched Hylians.

Link's breath had caught in his throat. The carnage was his doing. He had single-handedly defeated an entire army, everything from the common red bokoblin that had already been reduced to a minor annoyance in present day to vicious looking white maned lynels, a species he actively avoided out of fear in a color he had never even seen. He could remember Princess Zelda warning him to be careful, that being brave did not equate to immortality.

Recalling his past strength had been a somber yet joyful experience. Though his current, weakened state paled in comparison, the memory and scenery before him had caused an important detail he had been overlooking since King Dorephan first tried to bring his attention to it to finally come back to him.

 _The sword._

A century ago he had wielded what others now whispered to be a sword capable of sealing the darkness, though he himself could not remember it. Everyone who spoke of the blade seemed to be in awe of its power, and just before he left Goron City, their leader, Bludo, had mentioned that it was hidden in a forest to the west of the volcano. Link had been struggling to maintain his emotionless expression during the goodbye, and therefore had practically forgotten the advice. But with its strength fresh in his mind and what had to be the forest in which it rested in front of his eyes, a renewed vigor had filled him with hope, propelling him down the mountain. It took one, single day for that hope to dissolve into despair.

It was no longer simply his own feelings of inadequacy that tormented him. The sword itself had decided that he was no longer fit to wield it.

Merely touching the hilt of the divine blade had filled his head with a blur of scenes from the past and Princess Zelda's commanding voice entrusting Hyrule to him, causing a wave of varying and confusing emotions to crash into him. So taken aback by the sudden onslaught, he had released his grip on the weapon resting in the stone and gasped loudly as he stumbled backward, accidentally waking the dozing Great Deku Tree who informed him that he'd been tasked with watching over the darkness sealing sword - the Master Sword, as was its true name. The gigantic tree had at first seemed pleased to see him after one hundred years of waiting, but it hadn't taken long for his tone to take a foreboding turn.

"The sword stands as a test to anyone who would dare attempt to possess it. As you are now, I cannot say whether you are worthy or not..."

The warning had shaken his already fragile confidence, but he had refused to be deterred. If the Master Sword had truly once been his, then he had to try and take it up again. Princess Zelda's words had echoed in his head as he took a deep breath and reached for the hilt once more. She was counting on him, and though he could barely remember her, deep down he knew that above all else he desired to be useful to her and deserve her faith in him as the Hero of Hyrule. But as he had struggled to pull the blade from the stone pedestal in which it sat, it felt as if his very life force was being sucked from his body. Despite his moment of panic, he had refused to let go until the Great Deku Tree commanded it, but as soon as he had, he found himself panting and sweating, the Master Sword staying stubbornly where he had found it, silently mocking his incompetence.

Link had left the forest only moments later, the mere sight of the holy weapon too cruel to stand. Stumbling around the misty woods in a daze, it had been a miracle that he'd managed to emerge safely back on the other side. But as he had trudged along the path, his mind not bothering to care about his next destination, he noticed through the trees a tall tower glowing a bright orange. Below it sat a vast enemy encampment completely surrounded by a bubbling bog.

The map on his Shiekah Slate was still far from complete, but he knew at least that he should eventually make his way west toward the Divine Beast shaped like a bird that circled high in the air, a route that took him directly through territory that would be unlocked on his map if he were to activate the heavily guarded tower.

He rushed in without hesitation.

Whether out of foolishness, anger at his own weakness, or a sudden need for self validation, he was still unable to explain exactly what drove him to run straight into the thick of battle in such a deadly arena without a second's thought. Lizalfos and octoroks shot at him from the murky pond while bokoblins and moblins engaged him in melee combat. As he drew closer to the base of the tower, a wizzrobe caught sight of him and began hurling fireballs in his direction. With cries of frustration, he had slashed wildly at them all, his own wounds piling up to match his body count, until at last he had reached the base of the tower. Adrenaline surging through his bleeding body, he raced to the top as fast as his limbs could carry him, and once there, he approached the terminal and waited as his Shiekah Slate received the new map information. Retrieving it, he tried to study it only to realize that his eyes refused to focus. His breathing had become ragged, and his legs gave way beneath him, his arms barely able to cushion his fall.

He couldn't remember how long he lay there, his mind, for once, completely blank. But eventually he had managed to push himself up and look around. The Woodland Stable was close enough to the south that he could paraglide down to it, which gave him somewhere to rest and a horse for his travels as well. Given his current physical and mental state, he had deemed it wise to at least start the next leg of his journey on horseback, an insight now proving advantageous due to the harsh rain, the slick grass and thick mud being far more easily navigated by his sure-footed steed.

The daze he had found himself lost in since his failure to procure the Master Sword was only just beginning to lift. Since leaving the stable over an hour ago, the patter of rain and sloshing of hooves had been strangely soothing despite the cool temperature and his soaked clothing. Intent on regaining his focus, Link did his best to keep his eyes forward, though the misty forest to his right and the foreboding castle to his left were impossible to ignore completely. He would head toward Salari Hill as there was a road nearby, and as his map indicated a steep cliff not far beyond it, he would take that road south, hopefully leading him toward one of the towers he saw in the distance so he might receive a clue as to where to proceed from there.

But as the rain continued its relaxing fall and his horse clopped steadily along with barely a nudge of guidance needed, he found he couldn't keep his thoughts solely on plotting his course. The crumbling Hyrule Castle, surrounded by Guardians and swirling Malice, kept stealing his gaze, vague shadows of memories from time spent inside when it was bright and welcoming trying to claw their way out of his subconscious. Above all else, though, he could picture _her_.

While no specific memories sprang to mind, images of Princess Zelda roaming the castle halls in a regal, blue gown forced their way through the cloud concealing his past. She was beautiful, moving with grace, head held high, but somehow the only expression he could imagine her wearing was that of anxiety and disappointment. Even with his scarce few vivid memories of her, it wasn't hard to guess what the cause might be considering whatever power she had been trying to harness had alluded her up to the very hour of Calamity Ganon's return. But somehow she must have gained control of that power as her spirit fought on inside the castle even now. By means he would probably never understand she had continued to fight for one hundred years while everyone around her failed, leaving her utterly alone. That could only be done by someone with great strength and confidence. So perhaps the real reason he found it impossible to recall even the smallest smile was not due to the disappointment she felt for herself but the disappointment Link felt his current self would surely be to her.

Roughly shaking his head, he urged his horse to go faster as if it were possible to simply outrun his own thoughts. He could not afford to be overtaken by his emotions again. His recklessness in pursuit of scaling the previous tower could have killed him. Being a living disappointment meant there was still a chance to change his fate; being a dead one would doom an entire kingdom.

Refusing to so much as glance to either side of him, he drove his horse onward at breakneck speed. The sooner he reached the next Divine Beast the sooner he would be too preoccupied with not falling from the sky to dwell on such dark and distracting thoughts. The rain finally stopped shortly after the castle at last lay behind him, and up ahead to his left he noticed a small pond not yet visible on his map. Feeling slightly guilty for pushing his horse so hard for so long, he decided to rest there for a short while, just long enough to allow his mount some food, drink, and a chance to catch its breath.

As he dismounted and handed the horse a bright red apple, Link's eyes slowly swept over the area. The gently sloping ground was covered in wildflowers that glistened with fresh moisture in the sun as it peeked through the retreating clouds. A soft breeze tugged at the leaves on the trees and his own damp hair. It was serene, a stark contrast to everything he'd experienced in the last week. And yet as his gaze drifted back in the direction of Hyrule Castle, that now familiar sense of recognition that whispered to him of a moment one hundred years ago had him clamoring for the Shiekah Slate at his hip. Sure enough, the view from where he stood matched one of the photos near exactly, and once more a memory from his past came rushing back to him.

Princess Zelda was holding the very same Shiekah Slate, chattering on about the wildlife and its various scientific uses. One flower in particular caught her eye, one that made the speed of her words slow and voice reverent. But then, without warning, she was excitedly holding a green frog out to him, willing him to taste it, of all things. More important than all of that, however, throughout the entirety of what he could remember, she was smiling.

With a true, warm smile, her face lit up like the sun. The golden hair falling over her shoulders and framing her cheeks almost appeared to glow, a shimmering halo accentuating her bright green eyes and pale pink lips. Even as a mere memory Link could have sworn that he suddenly felt warmer in her presence, the pure delight radiating from her transcending time itself. And after a grueling three weeks without the slightest twitch, the corners of his own lips at last curled upward as well.

Time seemed to stand still as he stood there, his eyes unfocused on the present. Of the far too few memories he had recovered of the princess, this one felt different. Or perhaps it was more accurate to say that this one made _him_ feel different. It wasn't just the pure delight from seeing her smile. No, this went much deeper. Not a childish flutter in his heart or a blush on his cheeks one might normally get from having the attention of a pretty girl, but instead something closer to devotion, a fierce need to keep that smile protected at any cost. This was how she was meant to be, _deserved_ to be.

Of course, he knew that it was a hundred years too late for that. The most he could hope for was to see her spirit smile upon him one last time, as Daruk had. As Mipha had. But there was no use dwelling on such thoughts. If he could only live up to the faith she had in him, someday she would be free, and with Ganon gone and her own duties fulfilled, perhaps she would go on to a better life where she would be able to smile amongst the flowers for all eternity. If it was in his power, he wanted nothing more than to give that to her.

The vague ache he had felt upon first remembering her face nearly a month ago seemed to grow with every passing moment. The more he thought of her, tried to force himself to remember her, the more his chest tightened. And yet he found himself unwilling to completely push any thought of her aside. It was painful, but he couldn't help wanting - no, _needing_ to know every lost detail. He was drawn to her in a way that was like no other from his past. Perhaps it was due to how many days and weeks they must have spent together, him being her appointed knight and bodyguard. Maybe he had been privy to a side of her she kept hidden from others. But unless he regained all of his memories, he would never know, and thus it didn't matter if it would be an agonizing task, reliving the life of one whose physical body had already returned to dust. He would do whatever he had to in order to face the princess with a full understanding of everything they'd been through together.

The sun hung low in the western sky as Link finally remounted his horse. He was sure he'd seen a stable nearby, and though he wanted to reach the next Divine Beast as soon as possible, it seemed wise to rest for the night while the monsters were most active, especially since he was quickly running out of map. He guessed that he would be able to reach the next tower tomorrow, however, and as most so far were fairly well guarded, he wanted to be well rested and sharp in order to avoid another reckless assault.

With one last, longing look around the small pond, Link took a deep, calming breath and urged his steed forward. As much as his newly regained memory further saddened any thoughts of the future, he was aware that it had come back to him exactly when he most needed it. He couldn't let it matter that the Master Sword rejected him. The princess deserved better than someone lacking focus and self control. She deserved a knight, strong and confident, and while he believed he was currently neither of those things, he must have been once. That was who she was counting on and that was who he would force himself to be again.

* * *

A/N: This time I would like to thank everyone responsible for helping create the interactive map available on Zelda Dungeon. I cannot stress enough how helpful this has been in helping me plot out Link's path through this story!

Thanks for reading, and as always, critics and grammar police are appreciated!


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